TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Ecclesiastes 5:9–17. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Solomon had shown the vanity of pleasure, gaiety, and fine works, of honour, power, and royal dignity; and there is many a covetous worldling that will agree with him, and speak as slightly as he does of these things; but money, he thinks, is a substantial thing, and if he can but have enough of that he is happy. This is the mistake which Solomon attacks, and attempts to rectify, in these verses; he shows that there is as much vanity in great riches, and the lust of the eye about them, as there is in the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life, and a man can make himself no more happy by hoarding an estate than by spending it.
I.He grants that the products of the earth, for the support and comfort of human life, are valuable things (Ecc 5:9):
The profit of the earth is for all. Man's body, being made of the earth, thence has its maintenance (Job 28:5); and that it has so, and that a barren land is not made his dwelling (as he has deserved for being rebellious, Psa 68:6), is an instance of God's great bounty to him. There is profit to be got out of the earth, and it is for all; all need it; it is appointed for all; there is enough for all. It is not only for all men, but for all the inferior creatures; the same ground brings grass for the cattle that brings herbs for the service of men. Israel had bread from heaven, angels' food, but (which is a humbling consideration) the earth is our storehouse and the beasts are fellow-commoners with us. The king himself is served of the field, and would be ill served, would be quite starved, without its products. This puts a great honour upon the husbandman's calling, that it is the most necessary of all to the support of man's life. The many have the benefit of it; the mighty cannot live without it; it is for all; it is for the king himself. Those that have an abundance of the fruits of the earth must remember they are for all, and therefore must look upon themselves but as stewards of their abundance, out of which they must give to those that need. Dainty meats and soft clothing are only for some, but the fruit of the earth is for all. And even those that suck the abundance of the seas (Deu 33:19) cannot be without the fruit of the earth, while those that have a competency of the fruit of the earth may despise the abundance of the seas.
II.He maintains that the riches that are more than these, that are for hoarding, not for use, are vain things, and will not make a man easy or happy. That which our Saviour has said (Luk 12:15), that a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses, is what Solomon here undertakes to prove by various arguments.
1.The more men have the more they would have, Ecc 5:10. A man may have but a little silver and be satisfied with it, may know when he has enough and covet no more. Godliness, with contentment, is great gain. I have enough, says Jacob; I have all, and abound, says St. Paul: but,
(1.)He that loves silver, and sets his heart upon it, will never think he has enough, but enlarges his desire as hell (Hab 2:5), lays house to house and field to field (Isa 5:8), and, like the daughters of the horse-leech, still cries, Give, give. Natural desires are at rest when that which is desired is obtained, but corrupt desires are insatiable. Nature is content with little, grace with less, but lust with nothing.
(2.)He that has silver in abundance, and has it increasing ever so fast upon him, yet does not find that it yields any solid satisfaction to his soul. There are bodily desires which silver itself will not satisfy; if a man be hungry, ingots of silver will do no more to satisfy his hunger than clods of clay. Much less will worldly abundance satisfy spiritual desires; he that has ever so much silver covets more, not only of that, but of something else, something of another nature. Those that make themselves drudges to the world are spending their labour for that which satisfies not (Isa 55:2), which fills the belly, but will never fill the soul, Eze 7:19.
2.The more men have the more occasion they have for it, and the more they have to do with it, so that it is as broad as it is long: When goods increase, they are increased that eat them, Ecc 5:11. The more meat the more mouths. Does the estate thrive? And does not the family at the same time grow more numerous and the children grow up to need more? The more men have the better house they must keep, the more servants they must employ, the more guests they must entertain, the more they must give to the poor, and the more they will have hanging on them, for where the carcase is the eagles will be. What we have more than food and raiment we have for others; and then what good is there to the owners themselves, but the pleasure of beholding it with their eyes? And a poor pleasure it is. An empty speculation is all the difference between the owners and the sharers; the owner sees that as his own which those about him enjoy as much of the real benefit of as he; only he has the satisfaction of doing good to others, which indeed is a satisfaction to one who believes what Christ said, that it is more blessed to give than to receive; but to a covetous man, who thinks all lost that goes beside himself, it is a constant vexation to see others eat of his increase.
3.The more men have the more care they have about it, which perplexes them and disturbs their repose, Ecc 5:12. Refreshing sleep is as much the support and comfort of this life as food is. Now,
(1.)Those commonly sleep best that work hard and have but what they work for: The sleep of the labouring man is sweet, not only because he has tired himself with his labour, which makes his sleep the more welcome to him and makes him sleep soundly, but because he has little to fill his head with care about and so break his sleep. His sleep is sweet, though he eat but little and have but little to eat, for his weariness rocks him asleep; and, though he eat much, yet he can sleep well, for his labour gets him a good digestion. The sleep of the diligent Christian, and his long sleep, is sweet; for, having spent himself and his time in the service of God, he can cheerfully return to God and repose in him as his rest.
(2.)Those that have every thing else often fail to secure a good night's sleep. Either their eyes are held waking or their sleeps are unquiet and do not refresh them; and it is their abundance that breaks their sleep and disturbs it, both the abundance of their care (as the rich man's who, when his ground brought forth plentifully, thought within himself, What shall I do? Luk 12:17) and the abundance of what they eat and drink which overcharges the heart, makes them sick, and so hinders their repose. Ahasuerus, after a banquet of wine, could not sleep; and perhaps consciousness of guilt, both in getting and using what they have, breaks their sleep as much as any thing. But God gives his beloved sleep.
4.The more men have the more danger they are in both of doing mischief and of having mischief done them (Ecc 5:13): There is an evil, a sore evil, which Solomon himself had seen under the sun, in this lower world, this theatre of sin and woe - riches left for the owners thereof (who have been industrious to hoard them and keep them safely) to their hurt; they would have been better without them.
(1.)Their riches do them hurt, make them proud, secure, and in love with the world, draw away their hearts from God and duty, and make it very difficult for them to enter into the kingdom of heaven, nay, help to shut them out of it.
(2.)They do hurt with their riches, which not only put them into a capacity of gratifying their own lusts and living luxuriously, but give them an opportunity of oppressing others and dealing hardly with them.
(3.)Often they sustain hurt by their riches. They would not be envied, would not be robbed, if they were not rich. It is the fat beast that is led first to the slaughter. A very rich man (as one observes) has sometimes been excepted out of a general pardon, both as to life and estate, merely on account of his vast and overgrown estate; so riches often take away the life of the owners thereof, Pro 1:19.
5.The more men have the more they have to lose, and perhaps they may lose it all, Ecc 5:14. Those riches that have been laid up with a great deal of pains, and kept with a great deal of care, perish by evil travail, by the very pains and care which they take to secure and increase them. Many a one has ruined his estate by being over-solicitous to advance it and make it more, and has lost all by catching at all. Riches are perishing things, and all our care about them cannot make them otherwise; they make themselves wings and fly away. He that thought he should have made his son a gentleman leaves him a beggar; he begets a son, and brings him up in the prospect of an estate, but, when he dies, leaves it under a charge of debt as much as it is worth, so that there is nothing in his hand. This is a common case; estates that made a great show do not prove what they seemed, but cheat the heir.
6.How much soever men have when they die, they must leave it all behind them (Ecc 5:15, Ecc 5:16): As he came forth of his mother's womb naked, so shall he return; only as his friends, when he came naked into the world, in pity to him, helped him with swaddling-clothes, so, when he goes out, they help him with grave-clothes, and that is all. See Job 1:21; Psa 49:17. This is urged as a reason why we should be content with such things as we have, Ti1 6:7. In respect of the body we must go as we came; the dust shall return to the earth as it was. But sad is our case if the soul return as it came, for we were born in sin, and if we die in sin, unsanctified, we had better never have been born; and that seems to be the case of the worldling here spoken of, for he is said to return in all points as he came, as sinful, as miserable, and much more so. This is a sore evil; he thinks it so whose heart is glued to the world, that he shall take nothing of his labour which he may carry away in his hand; his riches will not go with him into another world nor stand him in any stead there. If we labour in religion, the grace and comfort we get by that labour we may carry away in our hearts, and shall be the better for it to eternity; that is meat that endures. But if we labour only for the world, to fill our hands with that, we cannot take that away with us; we are born with our hands griping, but we die with them extended, letting go what we held fast. So that, upon the whole matter, he may well ask, What profit has he that has laboured for the wind? Note, Those that labour for the world labour for the wind, for that which has more sound than substance, which is uncertain, and always shifting its point, unsatisfying, and often hurtful, which we cannot hold fast, and which, if we take up with it as our portion, will no more feed us than the wind, Hos 12:1. Men will see that they have laboured for the wind when at death they find the profit of their labour is all gone, gone like the wind, they know not whither.
7.Those that have much, if they set their hearts upon it, have not only uncomfortable deaths, but uncomfortable lives too, Ecc 5:17. This covetous worldling, that is so bent upon raising an estate, all his days eats in darkness and much sorrow, and it is his sickness and wrath; he has not only no pleasure of his estate, nor any enjoyment of it himself, for he eats the bread of sorrow (Psa 127:2), but a great deal of vexation to see others eat of it. His necessary expenses make him sick, make him fret, and he seems as if he were angry that himself and those about him cannot live without meat. As we read the last clause, it intimates how ill this covetous worldling can bear the common and unavoidable calamities of human life. When he is in health he eats in darkness, always dull with care and fear about what he has; but, if he be sick, he has much sorrow and wrath with his sickness; he is vexed that his sickness takes him off from his business and hinders him in his pursuits of the world, vexed that all his wealth will not give him any ease or relief, but especially terrified with the apprehensions of death (which his diseases are the harbingers of), of leaving this world and the things of it behind him, which he has set his affections upon, and removing to a world he has made no preparation for. He has not any sorrow after a godly sort, does not sorrow to repentance, but he has sorrow and wrath, is angry at the providence of God, angry at his sickness, angry at all about him, fretful and peevish, which doubles his affliction, which a good man lessens and lightens by patience and joy in his sickness.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
"There
is a sickening evil that I have seen under the sun; riches hoarded by their
owner to his misfortune, and he loses those riches in some bad venture. If he begets a son, he has nothing in
hand. As he had come from his mother's
womb, naked will he return, as he had come; he can salvage nothing from his
labour to take with him. This too, is a
sickening evil: Exactly as he came he must depart, and what did he gain in exchange
for toiling for the wind? Indeed, all
his life he eats in darkness; he is greatly grieved, and has illness and
anger." Take what follows as linked to what is written above:
while Ecclesiastes describes wealth, even he is not able to enjoy his riches and
on many occasions endangers himself on account of them. Nor to his heir does he leave what he has
amassed; but even he and his son, just as they came nude, will return nude to
the earth and nothing of their toil will accompany them. Surely apathy is the worst, to be tortured by
thought on account of riches, and wealth will perish. And are we able to take it with us when we
die, in sadness, in mourning, in indignation, in laws or to seek it in vain
toil? And all this is according to the
apparent simple meaning of the text. But
as we are lifted higher, it seems to me that it speaks about the philosophers,
or the heretics, who amass riches of doctrines into their wickedness, and nor
are authors able to follow any usefulness, nor leave perpetual fruit for their
followers. But even they and their
disciples return to the earth and lose their riches, from him who said, "I
will lose the wisdom of the wise men, and I will reprove the prudence of the
careful." [I Cor. 1, 19.]
Truly
in fact, just as they left their mother's womb, (apparently as from a heretical
church), contrary to this about which it is written: "but Jerusalem which
is above is free, which is the mother of all." [Gal. 4, 26.]
Thus
they go nude to become a spirit, and work for nothing. Those who examine, lack examination, and they
are carried on every wind of doctrine, nor do they have the light, but eat
their sacraments in the darkness. They
are always ill, and are easily moved to anger, storing up anger for themselves
for the day of anger, and they do not have the favour of God.
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Summary
Ecclesiastes 5:14 offers a poignant and sobering illustration of the profound instability and tragic impermanence of earthly wealth, a central theme in the Preacher's profound observations on life "under the sun." It vividly portrays a scenario where diligently accumulated riches suddenly vanish through unforeseen misfortune, leaving the owner utterly destitute and, most tragically, with nothing tangible to bequeath to his offspring. This verse serves as a powerful and timeless reminder that material possessions, no matter how vast or hard-won, offer no ultimate security or enduring legacy, thereby underscoring the inherent vanity and ultimate futility of human striving when detached from a divine perspective.
Context
Literary Context
Ecclesiastes 5:14 is strategically positioned within a larger discourse (Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12) where Qoheleth, the Preacher, offers a penetrating critique of the relentless pursuit and often illusory security of wealth. This verse directly follows Ecclesiastes 5:13, which describes "riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt," setting the stage for a concrete and devastating example of such harm. Verse 14 then delivers this tragic illustration: the complete and sudden loss of wealth, rendering a man utterly unable to provide for his own son. The broader context of Ecclesiastes 5 also includes warnings against rash vows, observations on the oppression of the poor, and the insatiability of those who love money, all contributing to the overarching message of life's inherent unpredictability and the severe limitations of human control over material prosperity.
Historical & Cultural Context
In ancient Israelite society, the accumulation of wealth was often interpreted as a tangible sign of divine blessing and favor. Furthermore, the act of leaving a substantial inheritance for one's children was not merely a financial transaction but a crucial aspect of maintaining family honor, ensuring continuity of the lineage, and preserving the family name and legacy. This legacy was intrinsically linked to land ownership and accumulated possessions. Consequently, the scenario depicted in Ecclesiastes 5:14—a man diligently working to amass wealth, only for it to "perish" and leave his son "nothing in his hand"—would have been profoundly devastating. It spoke to the acute fragility of security in a world perpetually vulnerable to natural disasters, famine, warfare, disease, and economic downturns, where even the most assiduous effort could not guarantee a stable future or a secure family line.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several foundational themes prevalent throughout the book of Ecclesiastes. Firstly, it underscores The Impermanence of Wealth, emphasizing that material possessions are inherently fleeting and subject to sudden, unforeseen destruction, a truth echoed in Proverbs 23:5. Secondly, it highlights The Unpredictability of Life, illustrating that human effort and accumulation, no matter how diligent, do not guarantee lasting prosperity or a secure legacy, aligning perfectly with Qoheleth's repeated observations on the inherent uncertainties of existence "under the sun" (e.g., Ecclesiastes 9:11). Finally, the tragic outcome of the son being left empty-handed speaks directly to The Futility of Earthly Legacies built solely upon material wealth, contrasting sharply with the more enduring value of a "good name" or a spiritual inheritance often emphasized in biblical wisdom, as profoundly stated in Proverbs 22:1.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root signifies a complete and utter disappearance or ruin. It means "to wander away," "lose oneself," and by strong implication, "to perish" or "be destroyed." In Ecclesiastes 5:14, it emphasizes the absolute, irreversible nature of the wealth's destruction, implying a loss so profound that nothing remains, not merely a decline or reduction.
Derived from a root meaning "to be afflicted," this word refers to "ado," "employment," "business," or an "affair." When paired with "evil" (raʻ), as in "evil travail" (raʻ ʻinyân), it describes a grievous affliction, a calamitous business venture, a severe misfortune, or a disastrous undertaking that leads directly to ruin. It highlights the burdensome, often futile, and ultimately destructive nature of human toil when subjected to uncontrollable, negative circumstances.
This term literally means "a speck or point," but when used with a negative particle, it emphatically means "nothing" or "not anything." Its powerful use here underscores the complete emptiness, destitution, and utter lack that results from the "evil travail." The son inherits absolutely nothing, reinforcing the stark reality of the father's failed legacy and the total, irreversible loss of the accumulated riches.
Verse Breakdown
"But those riches perish by evil travail"
This opening clause introduces a stark and unsettling contrast to the common human perception of wealth as a source of security and stability. It asserts unequivocally that accumulated riches, despite the diligent effort invested in their acquisition, are profoundly susceptible to complete and sudden destruction. The phrase "evil travail" (raʻ ʻinyân) points to a calamitous event, a severe misfortune, or a disastrous enterprise that leads to the utter and irreversible loss of wealth, thereby emphasizing the unpredictable, often harsh, and frequently uncontrollable realities of life "under the sun."
"and he begetteth a son, and [there is] nothing in his hand"
This second clause highlights the devastating and tragic consequence of the wealth's perishing. The man, having striven to accumulate riches, has also fulfilled the crucial societal and familial expectation of begetting a son, intended to carry on his name, lineage, and inherit his legacy. However, due to the preceding calamity, the son is left with "nothing in his hand," meaning no inheritance, no assets, and no material provision whatsoever from his father. This outcome profoundly underscores the vanity and ultimate futility of striving for an earthly legacy that can be so easily undone by circumstances entirely beyond human control, leaving behind only emptiness.
Literary Devices
Ecclesiastes 5:14 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound and somber message. Irony is prominently featured, as the very "riches" (ʻôsher) that are diligently accumulated—presumably for security, provision, and future legacy—"perish" (ʼâbad) through "evil travail" (raʻ ʻinyân). The immense effort expended to gain wealth ultimately leads to its complete and utter loss, creating a bitter and tragic paradox. The verse also skillfully utilizes Pathos, evoking deep sympathy for the father who labors tirelessly and begets a son, only to be rendered utterly incapable of providing for him, and for the son who is left tragically empty-handed. This devastating outcome powerfully underscores the inherent human vulnerability to forces entirely beyond personal control. Furthermore, the stark phrase "nothing in his hand" functions as potent Symbolism, where "hand" represents possession, power, capability, and provision, and "nothing" signifies utter destitution, the complete absence of a material inheritance, and the shattering of a generational legacy. This vivid imagery powerfully communicates the profound futility of relying on earthly wealth for lasting security or an enduring legacy.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This verse deeply resonates with the broader biblical wisdom tradition that consistently warns against placing ultimate trust or security in material possessions. It serves as a stark and unyielding reminder of divine sovereignty over all human endeavors and the inherent limitations of human control in a fallen world. The radical impermanence of wealth highlighted here compels a theological perspective that values spiritual riches and an eternal inheritance far above fleeting earthly gains. It profoundly challenges the common notion that prosperity is always a direct sign of God's favor or that human effort alone can ever guarantee a secure future, thereby redirecting focus to the ultimate and only true source of security, blessing, and enduring hope, which is God Himself.
Reflection and Application
Ecclesiastes 5:14 compels us to critically examine our deepest relationship with wealth and our fundamental understanding of true security. It serves as a powerful and necessary antidote to the pervasive contemporary idolatry of accumulation, reminding us with stark clarity that even the most diligently acquired riches are ultimately fragile, transient, and subject to forces entirely beyond our control. This verse calls believers to cultivate a profound posture of humility and absolute dependence on God, recognizing that all possessions are temporary gifts to be stewarded wisely for His glory, not ultimate sources of hope, identity, or lasting fulfillment. It vigorously encourages us to invest our lives and resources in eternal values—such as spiritual growth, acts of sacrificial charity, and the advancement of God's kingdom—which cannot "perish by evil travail." Our true and enduring legacy is not found in what we accumulate for ourselves or our descendants on earth, but rather in our unwavering faithfulness to Christ and the imperishable spiritual inheritance we cultivate through our relationship with Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does "evil travail" imply that the person did something wrong to lose their wealth?
Not necessarily. While the Hebrew word for "evil" (raʻ) can indeed refer to moral wickedness, in the specific context of "evil travail" (raʻ ʻinyân) within Ecclesiastes 5:14, it primarily signifies a calamitous, grievous, or disastrous misfortune rather than a direct consequence of the individual's sin or moral failing. It refers to an unfortunate or ruinous circumstance, such as a failed business venture, an economic collapse, a natural disaster, or other unforeseen calamity that leads to the utter loss of wealth. The Preacher's overarching point throughout Ecclesiastes is often about the unpredictable, frustrating, and frequently unjust nature of life "under the sun," where even the diligent and righteous can experience profound misfortune, as further explored in Ecclesiastes 9:11.
How does this verse relate to the idea of leaving an inheritance for children?
This verse provides a stark and sobering counterpoint to the biblical ideal of leaving a good and wise inheritance, as commendably mentioned in Proverbs 13:22. While Proverbs encourages responsible provision and a lasting legacy for future generations, Ecclesiastes 5:14 highlights the sobering and often painful reality that even the best-laid plans, the most diligent efforts, and the most carefully accumulated wealth can be undone by unforeseen and uncontrollable circumstances, leaving absolutely nothing for an heir. It implicitly but powerfully encourages a profound shift in focus towards cultivating a spiritual or moral inheritance that is far less susceptible to earthly "perishing" and offers true, lasting value.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Ecclesiastes 5:14, with its somber declaration of the perishing nature of earthly riches and the profound futility of a material legacy, finds its ultimate, glorious answer and complete fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The tragic "nothing in his hand" that a son inherits from a father whose wealth has vanished stands in stark, redemptive contrast to the eternal, imperishable, and unfading inheritance that believers receive through their union with Christ. While earthly riches are inherently subject to "evil travail" and inevitable decay, Christ offers a divine treasure that "neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:20). Our true and lasting wealth is not found in what we accumulate on earth, but profoundly in our union with Him, who, though He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, so that we through His poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). He is the ultimate "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), providing a redemption and a spiritual inheritance that cannot perish, spoil, or fade. Through His victorious death and glorious resurrection, believers are born into an "inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven" for them (1 Peter 1:3-4). The "nothing in his hand" of the earthly father is utterly transformed into "everything in Christ's hand" for those who trust in Him, for He is the ultimate "heir of all things" (Hebrews 1:2) who graciously shares His eternal riches and secures a legacy that transcends all earthly calamities, offering true and everlasting security.